I ❤️ Sans so much, I convinced them to sponsor this post.
Deciding On the Best Way to Not Drink Forever Chemicals Shouldn’t Be This Hard.
And yet, here we are. With an unending amount of products all claiming to be the best at removing contaminants from our (increasingly) polluted tap… picking a water purifier these days looks like scrolling endlessly through Reddit threads, wellness blogs, TikTok reviews, and clinical studies to separate the legit purifiers from fancy marketing.
Finally, after sifting through an overwhelming amount of “gold standard” claims and flashy branding, I narrowed my search for the best countertop water purifier down to two heavy hitters: the internet-favorite Sans Water Purifier and the up-and-coming Rorra Countertop System.
To save you hours of your time, I decided to break down my process of choosing between the two. Ultimately, Sans won my countertop and my heart. But let me explain.
A Brief Overview of the Contestants: Sans & Rorra
- Sans: Born during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sans quickly made waves with their premium-grade air purifiers before expanding into water purification. Their countertop purifier is widely acclaimed for its sleek design, advanced 5-stage reverse osmosis filtration system, and transparent, NSF-certified effectiveness, promising up to 99% contaminant removal.
- Rorra: Around for only a couple of years, Rorra broke onto the water filtration scene with their stainless steel Countertop System. They use something called “Electrokinetic Nanofiber Filtration” and opt for a minimalist aesthetic. It looks sort of like a futuristic Berkey (if you remember those things).
To compare the two, I’ll break it down by price, effectiveness, customer love, and extra features.
Price: Sans
The Rorra Countertop System comes in at $549. Sans, on the other hand, costs $499, giving it the slight edge on price. Since both units require the occasional replacement filter, I figured I should factor that in, too.
Subscribing to Sans’ filter subscription results in a Pre/Carbon and VOC filter change every year, and a Reverse Osmosis filter change every two years (the average yearly cost comes to $97.48, or $87.73 if you’re subscribed for a 10% discount.) You can skip or cancel anytime. Rorra’s filter replacement is $65 and delivered every 90 days, bringing the total cost to a whopping $260 a year.
While the Sans unit itself is less expensive, factoring in the huge disparity in filter cost makes Sans much more affordable in the long run. And with all the extra features, you’d think Sans should be the more expensive option. But more on that later…
Effectiveness: Sans
I like my kitchen to look like something off of Architectural Digest, not like a lab experiment. Right off the bat, Sans had me hooked with its minimalist design, smooth lines, and sleek digital display. Rorra’s stainless steel unit also has a premium vibe to it, but it’s quite bulky and feels like the countertop equivalent of dad sneakers—functional, maybe, but not exactly a vibe.
On top of that, Sans boasts a 5-stage, reverse osmosis filtration process rigorously tested to meet NSF standards, eliminating up to 99% of harmful contaminants, including fluoride, microplastics, heavy metals, forever chemicals, and more. I know I was sh**ing on “gold standard” claims earlier, but reverse osmosis is just that. The only drawback is losing some trace minerals, but Sans thought of that too. You can add a Mineral Boost filter right into the system for only 20 bucks.
From what I can tell, Rorra’s “electrokinetic nanofiber technology” is just a fancy way to say the water is fed through a really dense sponge. Apparently, Rorra can still efficiently handle contaminants like lead and microplastics, but the gravity-fed filtration is not nearly as rapid or extensive as Sans.
Customer Love: Sans
Though still new to the market, Sans has been around the block… and the people really seem to love it. Sans has over 500 glowing reviews averaging 4.9 out of 5 stars on their website, with 100% of customers recommending the product. People call out the unmatched water taste, sleek aesthetic, and exceptional customer support. Sans even got a rave review from a mom-blogger. I mean, that’s like the ultimate test in my view.
Rorra, on the other hand, only has 180 reviews for a 4.8 star rating. Certainly not bad, but it’s hard not to value the fact that Sans has been around for longer and is consistently withstanding the test of time. I’ve seen too many “here today, gone tomorrow” miracle products that I always like to lean tried+tested over new+exciting.
Gotta give the category, once again, to Sans here.
Extra Features: Sans (Again)
Somehow, this is turning into a Sans hype piece. But like, after seeing these features, how could it not? Sans comes with an instant hot water mode for coffee or tea, an auto-fill pitcher so you always have delicious H20 ready to go, and even a SmartPure precise TDS sensor to monitor your water quality in real-time. (You can even choose between classic white and this sleek midnight colorway.)
Rorra comes with a tiny light indicator to let you know when to change the filter. Aaaaaaaaand that’s it. Did I mention their website claims it will take 30 minutes to filter a gallon of water? It’s hard for me to justify all the extra cost for fewer features.
The concept of gravity-fed water filters has been around for 100+ years, but Sans feels like it was designed in a time machine from the future. Paying less for the peak of water purification technology? Yeah, sign me up.
The Clear-As-My-Water Winner: Sans (and it’s not really close)
While Rorra could be the right choice for you, Sans is where I ended up. They consistently show up and show out, from the basics to the bonuses. Going with this beauty was an easy decision: my countertop is chic, my water tastes unbelievably smooth, and I no longer have to worry about sketchy contaminants making their way into my morning routine.
It’s worth mentioning that Sans comes with a risk-free, 30-day home trial, as well as free shipping, so there’s no pressure if you want to try it out for yourself. (Caution though, once you taste this water, it’s hard to drink anything else.)
